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Wednesday

This is my first time participating in the challenges over at Category Stories. The availability of a wide variety of scrapbooking materials makes it easy to just pile on the embellishments to make pages look pretty forgetting the actual stories behind the photos. The great thing about challenge sites is that they "force" you not only to use your stash (don't hoard!) but to remember the stories behind the layouts. I journal on every single layout. Sometimes when the design of a layout doesn't permit a lot of journaling, I write at the back because I think that the story behind a photo is really important. Sometimes when I'm lazy, my journaling's part of the title.

A picture of my sweet nephews...so hard to get them both to look at the camera at the same time, let alone smile for me...oh well, I'll take what I can get...used mostly old stash and some recycling goodness - ice-cream sticks! It's super pink and super girly and totally not me at all but I like it!

This PageFrames acrylic frame was inked with Stazon, then mounted on FancyPants felt. So cool that they go well together. Some stitching...:) Photo mounted on cardstock. White lace on edges.

Buttons, ribbons, lace and a little floral tassel from the craft store. The felt piece is from Fancy Pants. The "kiss kiss" paper is from Cosmo Cricket (came free with a magazine)...:)

I used my Making Memories magnetic stamps (there were in cold storage for a while!) with VersaFine ink and stamped on ice-creams sticks. They were adhered on lace and then added to the layout. Also used some pink brads.

Thursday

I decided to combine some challenges on this layout. There are really so many wonderful challenge blogs around. The pictures are of my nephew who doesn't like to smile for the camera but he was having so much FUN that day, he smiled for me and I managed to get a couple of his sweet smiles...:)

First is the challenge over at OLW where the word is FUN. The first picture is of him really having fun and being happy..:) I used the words Have Fun as part journaling, part titling.

Then, there's the challenge over at Scrapping Out Loud where the challenges were to use at least one type of lace [I used three - gray and blue at the bottom of the layout and white lace with which I used to make part of the flowers], use the word of the week - discover [which I used as part journaling, part titling] and incorporate the layout of the week [which I did!].

I also used the lyrics over at Scrapping The Music as part of this layout by incorporating the words "I love you" and "1234" into the layout.

Last but not least, there's the Dreamgirls challenge which was to use 80% American Crafts products on your layout, incorporate a heart and a swirl.

Phew! I saw several scrappers attempt this [combining challenges] and thought I would give it a try but it's really really hard! Hope I did a decent job.

Tuesday

Here is my take on Mixer #6. Love the color palette we had to use. A very simple layout using some Basic Grey papers, some stickers and a little stitching. A picture of my nephews with their Aunts and Uncle...love how the elder one is always posing for the camera...:)

The challenge at The Story Matters blog is to scrap about what you struggle with most.

Journaling is as follows:

Am I good enough? Am I stretching myself too thin? Am I expecting too much from others? Am I being too cynical? Am I being too optimistic? Am I too much of a doormat? Am I being assertive enough? Am I being overconfident? Am I being too petty? Am I being too generous? Am I good enough?

Friday

"Your living is determined not so much by what life brings you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens."

Lewis L. Dunnington

It was a particularly hard challenge for me because my dog of 14 years passed away on the 3rd.:( Cookie was a cocker spaniel, loved by all at home. She wasn't ill, just old. In recent weeks, she wasn't eating very well...so unlike her...she ate everything..She couldn't walk very steadily but made the effort to poop and pee at her assigned "toilet" so that we won't have to clean up her mess.. so considerate!

I remember her floppy ears and head sticking out of the gate as she watched people and cars passing by. Or how she would chase the birds in the garden. Or dig holes in the garden. Or salivate when she sees food. And of course, how she would rest her head on my thighs when she senses that I've had a bad day.

She will be missed dearly and remembered for her love of life.

Anyway, I managed to complete this challenge. With my scraps. And a lovely photo of my nephew with his current favourite toy - a Power Puff Girl doll. He couldn't decide whether he liked Blossom or Bubbles more :) In ten years, this will be pretty embarrassing for him..:)

Didn't get round to some fancy techniques. Just sprayed the quote and the chipboard letter G with Glimmer Mist for some shine. Felt flower was cut with a Sizzix die.

Wednesday

Just discovered this interesting challenge blog where you are required to make TAGS! Which I try to do with my scraps when I'm done with a project. Most of the pieces already match so it's just a matter of putting them together. Here's my take on the challenge at Tag. You're it!: Purple tag.